April Extension Connection Magazine 2024

YOUR

Extension Connection

Sullivan County

Upcoming Events & Programs

Upcoming Events & Programs

Sullivan County Alzheimer’s Community Forum

Marketing Your Farm Series

Bone Builders

4-H Saturdays

Unpacking the Teen Years

Are Your Affairs in Order? What You Need to Know

Master Community Builder Program

See more events and opportunities on sullivancce.org/events.

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ssue

Issue Highlights Issue Highlights

Agriculture & Food Systems Program Highlights

Healthy Benefits for Physical Activity for Children, Adults, and Adults over 65

Agricultural Jobs & Resources

Where Does DEI Go From Here? Part II

Planting Cool Weather Crops

Compensation Fund Could Boost NYS Childcare Industry

4-H Projects

April 27 is National Arbor Day! Check out page 12 for fun facts about trees!

Participants of the Tai Chi for Arthritis & Falls Prevention series with the honorary Tai Chi mascot, Daisy the Dog.

WelcometotheIssue!TableofContents Welcome to the Issue! Table of Contents

Page 3 Message from the Executive Director

Page 4 Agriculture and Food Systems Program Highlights

Page 6 Agricultural Jobs and Resources

Page 7 FebruaryDHIA Report

Page 8 Compensation Fund Could Boost NYS Childcare Industry

Page 10 Planting Cool Weather Crops

Page 11 CCE Spotlights!

Page 12 Fast Facts!

Page 16 Where Does DEI Go From Here? Part II

Page 18 Healthy Benefits of Physical Activity for Children, Adults, and Adults over 65

Page 21 Tai Chi Class in Full Swing

Page 22 4-H Project

Page 23 Thanks to our Sponsors!

The Extension Connection (USPS525100)is published monthlyf or $2500 enrollment by CornellCooperative Extension Sullivan

The Extension Connection (USPS-525-100) is published monthly for $25.00 enrollment by Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County, located at 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Suite 1, Liberty, NY 12754-2903. Entered at Liberty, New York, as a periodical class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 412, Act of February 24, 1925. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Extension Connection, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Suite 1, Liberty, NY 12754-2903.

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E-mail: sullivan@cornell.edu

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dara Smith............................President

Alex Alorro...................Vice President

Robert Kaplan.......................Secretary

Dawn Parsons.......................Treasurer

Brian McPhillips...........Legislative Rep.

Adam Hughes..................Cornell Rep.

Freda Eisenberg

John Garigliano

Amanda Langseder

Denise Luckman

Erika Malmgreen

Steve Marton

Mark McLewin

Gary Silver

Gary Silverman

Nicole Slevin Nikolados

PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Heather Brown

Roberta Chambers

Courtney Hanback

Carmela Hugel

Carol Roig

Stephen Stuart

Eugene Thalmann

Deborah Worden

EXTENSION CONNECTION

Produced by: Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County

Edited by: Aaron Denman & Colleen Monaghan

Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with DisAbilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

NOTICE: Official endorsement of advertisers and their products is not intended by the acceptance of their sponsorships for the Extension Connection.

STAFF MEMBERS

Colleen Monaghan..............................................................................Executive Director

Taylor Adam.............................................................Beginner Farmer Program Manager

Monica Ponce-Agredano ...............................................................Ag. Program Assistant

SueAnn Boyd.........................................................Healthy Schools Program Coordinator

Tracy Broyles...............................................................................SALT Program Manager

Alan Carroll...................................................................Food Systems Program Manager

Lynn Colavito..............................................Community Cupboard Program Coordinator

Martin Colavito...........................................................Prevention Programs Issue Leader

Haley Collins...................Agriculture Farmland Protection & Planning Program Manager

Wanda V. Cruz...............................................Healthy Communities Program Coordinator

Erin Doherty......................................................................Preventions Program Educator

Eugene Doyle...................................................................................................Custodian

Katie Gasior.................................................................Horticulture Program Coordinator

Christopher Jones..............................................................Taste NY Operations Manager

Joy Leon.................................................................Nutrition & Physical Activity Educator

Katie Rose Lugauer...................................................................4-H Program Coordinator

Erica Lynch..........................................................Catskills Kitchen Program Coordinator

John Mastrangelo............................................................................Assistant Ag Market Manager

Nancy McGraw....................................Caregiver Resource Center Program Coordinator

Melinda Meddaugh.......................................................Ag & Food Systems Issue Leader

Vivian Monsanto...............................................................................Finance Coordinator

Barbara Moran................................................4-H Youth Development Program Manager

Bee Moser............................................................................................Senior Nutritionist

Patricia Ocasio.................................................................Preventions Program Coordinator

Shanice Owens..............................................Community Cupboard Program Coordinator

Abyssinia Pla El...................................................................................Finance Coordinator

Michelle Proscia..............................................Agriculture Production Program Manager

Ann-Marie Sidtis............................................Drug Free Communities Program Assistant

Tara VanHorn.........................................................................................Finance Manager

Malinda Ware........................................................................................Program Director

John Wilcox..........................................................................................Facilities Manager

Vinny Bonizzi, Kayla Evans......................................................................Ag Market Coordinators

Dear Sullivan County Community,

Spring is here, sort of! With it, a renewed sense of energy for our work at Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County. As we transition into this new season, I wanted to take a moment to update you on some exciting initiatives. We are so excited to be in the process of planning for the 2024 Sullivan Catskills and Sullivan Fresh farmers market season. We’re looking forward to our sixth year of supporting our local farmers and producers as they bring their products to market, keep dollars local, and bring fresh local fruits, veggies, proteins, and shelf stable products to food deserts across the County!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the Sullivan County Legislature for their continued support of Extension work. Their generous contributions continue to enable us to provide valuable programming and outreach to Sullivan County residents and visitors, and we are grateful for their partnership.

In addition, I am proud to highlight the achievements of our 4-H youth members who participated in this year’s public presentations. These young people worked hard to develop their public speaking skills and showcased their knowledge and passion for a variety of topics. We are thrilled to see the growth and development of our 4-Hers and are excited for what the future holds for them. And a big shout out to all the 4-H volunteers for helping to judge this year’s presentations! As always, our team remains dedicated to serving the needs of our community and providing valuable resources and programming. We encourage you to stay up-to-date with our latest news and events by following us on Facebook (@ ccesullivanagfood), Instagram (@ccesullivan), or visiting our events page at sullivancce.org/events.

Thank you for your continued support of Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County, and we wish you a happy and fruitful spring season.

Sincerely,

Colleen Monaghan Executive Director, cm638@cornell.edu

OURTEAM&PROGRAMS

OurAg&FoodSystemsteamhas grown,enablingustoprovidemore programs,events,andsupportforour community!Tolearnmoreaboutour programsvisitourwebsite!

https://sullivancce.org

Agricultural

FieldCrops

Vegetables

SoilTestsforFarms www.facebook.com/ccesullivanagfood

DiseaseManagement

DHI Report:

February

COMPENSATION FUND COULD BOOST NYS CHILD CARE INDUSTRY

Written by James Dean

Submitted by Colleen Monaghan, Executive Director

Two out of five New Yorkers with children who participated in a recent ILR School-sponsored poll report that a member of their household opts not to work, mostly because child care is too expensive, while child care workers earn among the lowest wages in the state, according to a report released March 8 by the ILR School’s Buffalo C0Lab Buffalo Co-Lab.

Continuing a multiyear effort with collaborators to determine the “true” cost of child care, “The Status of Child Care in New York State” finds that recent increases in state subsidies helped stabilize the industry through the pandemic, but were insufficient to reduce inequities in access and quality.

Since 2021, child care capacity across the state increased by about 3%, or nearly 19,000 slots at licensed child care providers, but did not improve or declined in many areas, particularly in upstate counties and lowincome communities that were already child care deserts or near-deserts, according to the report.

The authors propose a workforce compensation fund, similar to one implemented in Washington, D.C., to increase child care workers’ pay on par with starting salaries for elementary school teachers, which would help attract and retain new professionals.

“If implemented in New York state, a compensation fund would likely stem the tide of workers leaving the child care industry due to poverty wages,” the report states. “Moreover, Buffalo Co-Lab research shows that the return on investment would far exceed the cost of the program, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and activating new economic activity connected to the child care industry.”

ILR Buffalo Co-Lab authors of the report are Catherine Creighton ‘87, the co-lab director; Steve Peraza, senior researcher and policy associate; and Russell Weaver, director of research. Doctoral students from the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Department of Sociology provided additional

research support.

The researchers analyzed state workforce and economic impact data and responses to Cornell’s 2023 Empire State Poll. They also conducted interviews and focus groups with child care providers, advocates and officials in Erie County to assess the impact of recent state policy changes.

Top-level findings include:

• Child care workers in New York state remain underpaid and undervalued, earning a median wage of $32,900 – nearly 40% less than the median wage for all New Yorkers – with 12% falling below the poverty line. The state’s more than 69,000 child care workers are racially diverse, but 94% are women.

• Lack of access to affordable child care removes New York workers from the economy. Among Empire State Poll respondents, in households where an adult member stayed home because of child care, more than half said they did so because of its high cost, while nearly a quarter said they lacked

access. Labor shortages are exacerbated if parents are unable to work due to child care issues.

• New Yorkers value quality child care and support investments in the industry. Nearly 80% of Empire State Poll respondents indicated they would support public funding for universal child care as a free public service akin to K-12 public education.

• Child care capacity is ticking up, but not everywhere. Capacity declined in 22 mostly upstate counties, including by more than 20% in Greene, Schuyler, Oswego and Franklin counties, and about 8% in Manhattan.

• A child care compensation fund would raise wages for all child care workers. The researchers’ analysis showed a 1.9 to 1 return on investment, suggesting that if such a fund cost $2 billion annually, it would create $3.8 billion in economic activity and 40,608 new jobs.

“By these measures,” the authors conclude, “the New York State

Child Care Compensation Fund could become an integral piece of a more equitable, accessible and caring child care infrastructure in New York state, in turn making the care economy one of New York’s economic engines moving forward.”

The research was supported

by the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo.

Adapted from:

Dean, J. (2024, March 12). Compensation fund could boost NYS child care industry. https://news.cornell.edu/ stories/2024/03/compensation-fundcould-boost-nys-child-care-industry

PLANTING COOL WEATHER CROPS

Written and submitted by Katie Gasior, Horticulture Program Coordinator

Planting cool weather crops in early spring is a great way to extend your growing season. There are a variety of seeds that can be started outdoors here in Sullivan County before the last frost date, sometime in mid-late April and thrive to provide a bountiful harvest. Some cool weather crops that can be started early are Lettuce, Kale, Arugula, Peas, Bok Choy, and

Spinach. Some root crops that prefer cooler weather are beets, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and turnips. Some vegetables actually improve in taste with cooler temperatures - the colder the weather, the sweeter the carrot!

Now is a great time to have your soil tested if you are planning a vegetable garden this season. Submit your soil for analysis to determine micronutrient & pH levels and receive customized amendment recommendations. Contact our Horticulture Program Coordinator with any

questions at (845) 2926180 ext. 123 or sullivan@ cornell.edu.

CCE Sullivan Spotlights Program Spotlight

THE NEW REGIONAL NAVIGATOR

We are happy to announce a new development in Sullivan County’s efforts to connect aspiring farmers with available farmland!

Haley Collins (CCE Agriculture Farmland Protection and Program Manager) will be the new regional navigator with Farmland for a New Generation New York, specifically serving Sullivan County and the Hudson Valley.

“As a regional navigator for Farmland for a New Generation in the Hudson Valley/ Catskills region, my role is to support farmers by serving as a central source of information for both farmers and landowners.” says Haley, “Beyond connecting farmers with resources and assisting them in navigating challenges like land availability and regulations, I am also working to promote sustainability and ensure the ongoing vitality of agriculture in the region.”

Farmland for a New Generation New York is a program coordinated by American Farmland

Trust – in partnership with the State of New York, agricultural organizations, land trusts, and others –that helps farmers seeking land and landowners who want to keep their land in farming.

April Focus: Fast Facts, Cool Tools, & News to Use

April 27th is National Arbor Day!

On April 22, 1885 Arbor Day became a legal holiday in Nebraska, the state where it originated. 1000 children formed a parade on that day.

Strategically planting trees and shrubs can save you up to 25 percent on your energy bills. A shade tree can help cool your home by as much as 20 degrees in the summertime. Not only do they provide shade in the summer, but serve as a windbreak in the winter, too.

“Moon trees’’ were grown from seeds taken to the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in early 1971. NASA and the US Forest Service wanted to see if the moon’s orbit caused the seeds to grow differently back on earth. These trees were donated to state forestry services in 1975 and 1976.

Dating a tree by studying its rings is called Dendrochronology. However, a tree’s rings don’t only reveal its age, they can also indicate the occurrence of natural disasters such as a volcanic eruption or a drought event. In the years of good growth, characterized by a healthy supply of resources, the ring is thick. It is thin when resources are scarce in the ecosystem.

J. Sterling Morton, who founded Arbor Day, built a family home that looked like the White House. Today the home and its 65 acres are known as Arbor Lodge and is now a state park.

Research suggests that being around trees is good for our mental and social well-being. A study conducted by the University of Illinois and the University of Hong Kong found that the denser the forest, the lower the stress, which suggests that taking a walk down a tree-lined street could prove beneficial to your mental wellbeing.

Several recent nationwide surveys show that mature trees in a well-landscaped yard can increase the value of a house by seven to 19 percent. A study by a Michigan State professor found that across seven different states, study participants perceived that home value increased from five to 11% for homes with a good landscape.

Sources:

“7 Arbor Day Fun Facts | Kinghorn Gardens.” kinghorngardens.com, Kinghorn Gardens, 29 April 2016, www.kinghorngardens.com/7-arborday-fun-facts//. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.

“14 Fun Facts About Trees.” precisiontreemn. com, Precision Landscape & Tree, 2024, www. precisiontreemn.com/tips/14-fun-facts-abouttrees.html/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.

April Focus: Fast Facts, Cool Tools, & News to Use

A Concise History of Forest Health in New York

Written by Micheal Birmingham

A Historical Perspective

A view apparently shared by pioneers in the 1600’s was that forests stood in the way of progress. Progress came in the way of agriculture and settlements. Early Dutch settlers saw shortfalls in the quality of New World timber as revealed in their council minutes. They reported those ship owners did not want the rotten timber filling the hulls of their ships on return trips to Europe. Apparently, the reference to rotten timber is descriptive of old growth, over mature trees that were growing in the region.

Peter Kalm, a European naturalist boating the Hudson River, noted the conditions of the forests in 1743. He wrote: “Everywhere the trees have never seen an axe, yet they die from the tops downward and rot from within.” “Trees,” he summarized, “are like animals and grow old and die.” Here, in a few words, the naturalist summed

up the state of old growth timber.

Declines of forests have historically been of concern. In the late 1800’s, the State Entomologist told the Board of Education that forests were declining. He cited fir declines in Europe in the 1790’s, spruce mortality in Rensselaer County in 1843, and the “recent” spruce declines in the Adirondacks. His reports helped draw attention to factors other than manmade pollution in declines, for the declines came largely before tall smokestacks.

The Introduction of Pests

The Hudson Valley is a cradle for pests. Coming out of New York City, a disease swept through the state killing American elms. Many survived. It seemed the worse was over by the early 1960’s. Then, mysteriously, another wave of killings took place. This one destroyed most of the elms surviving the first wave. Scientists now

know that the second wave was the result of a much more virulent form of Dutch elm disease. Elms will not disappear. Not even to the extent chestnuts disappeared. Rather, elms produce seeds at an early age insuring abundant young trees. When elms die off, the habitat for the elm bark beetles diminishes. With it go the vectors that spread the disease. If it were not for the introduced elm bark beetle, not so many elms would have died or at least the disease would not have spread so fast. The native elm bark beetle is less effective as a vector. Even without Dutch elm disease, elms in the Finger Lakes would be in trouble. A disease known as elm yellows, considered more virulent than Dutch elm disease occurs widely. As with chestnut, scientists have developed resistant elms.

Still another insect has appeared in southeastern New York, threatening a major tree species, namely, eastern hemlock.

In 1987, Chuck McClure first observed hemlock wooly adelgid at Bedford, Westchester County. Subsequently, it has been found as far north as Clermont State Park in Columbia County, and as far west as Port Jervis in Orange County. Many individuals predicted the eventual demise of eastern hemlock. To be sure, thousands of hemlocks have died of the effects of the insect. Tree mortality is widespread in southern Dutchess and Ulster Counties and further south in New York. Still, many trees survive. I inspected four trees in Hudson State Park south of Beacon City each year, since 1987. Two are dead, presumably killed by the adelgid. Two trees survive after ten years far longer than anyone thought possible when the adelgid first moved into the state. At Bear Mountain State Park and Garrison across the river from the park, adelgids have taken a frightening toll. Infestations have recently been found for the first time in the Seven Lakes areas and along the Palisades Parkway. The insect continues its westward spread from the river valley. It occurs as far west as Port Jervis where it moved in from the State

of Pennsylvania. Elsewhere, the adelgid has retreated. At Bard College it cannot be found even through two years earlier every hemlock was heavily infested. At James Baird State Park, no adelgids were found on overstory trees two years after a heavy infestation was observed. Only under story seedlings were infested, apparently protected by the snow. What stemmed the tide of spread? Most likely cold weather has had a major impact. The adelgid, similar to red pine scale and two introduced hemlock needle scales, appears to be cold sensitive. Laboratory tests show otherwise. Adelgids survived temperatures below what is the norm for the area. The variation in results is unknown. It points to the need for continued field observations

Summary

There is much to be learned by looking at historical data. There is the knowledge of the fallacy of “elm streets.” Reliance on one or few species does not make sense along urban streets or for rural forests. Even the “perfect” species like Norway maple eventually ends up with some significant pest

problems. Using exotic trees to substitute for native ones appears flawed in some cases. Look at what happened to Japanese black pine and Austrian pine. And bringing native trees to offsites also leads to problems. An example is the widespread practice of planting red pine on heavy soils. It loves welldrained sandy soils. Biological controls are nopanacea They are sometimes worth the expense, but payoffs may take decades. Recall how long the Japanese fungus took to become effective against gypsy moths. Science is held up as a hope in combating pests. It is our best hope. Will forests die out? An emphatic no! Forested acreage has actually nearly doubled in our state since the 1800’s. The forests are probably becoming sicker as they grow older and more introduced pests are added. Using lessons of the past, we could go far in helping grow healthier forests.

Adapted from:

Birmingham, Michael. “A Concise History of Forest Health in New York.” ForestConnect. www.blogs.cornell.edu/ cceforestconnect/publications-andresources/. Accessed 21 March 2024.

WHERE DOES DEI GO FROM HERE? (PART II)

FOSTERING FOUR FREEDOMS CAN BENEFIT EMPLOYEES AND COMPANIES ALIKE.

Written by Laura Morgan Roberts

Submitted by Malinda Ware, Program Director and Chair of Association DEI Committee

There are four freedoms that help people flourish at work. Majority and highstatus group members often have more access to them than those in traditionally marginalized groups. Here are some ways that organizations can work to make sure that the four freedoms are realized by all.

The Four Freedoms

The Freedom to Be - The ability to bring our full, authentic selves to the workplace.

Nondiscrimination policies - Know, meet, and, ultimately, surpass antidiscrimination policies set forth by law.

Antibias trainingEstablish programs to overcome biases in hiring, promotion, and work opportunities as well as day-to-day interactions.

Allyship - Encourage allyship through education and relationship building, both within and across identity groups.

The Freedom to Be

We all flourish when we are granted the freedom to be our authentic selves at work. Consider, for example, the affirmation many people felt from colleagues when getting to know one another’s pets and families through video calls during pandemic lockdowns. Being oneself at work may sound simple, but people who have the most affinity with the dominant culture often benefit from similarity and take this freedom for granted.

Those in historically marginalized groups, however, often lack that freedom and must expend significant effort on calibrating their authentic selves to fit into their surroundings. For example, racial minority group members often “whiten” their names on job applications by replacing ethnic-sounding names with initials or shortened nicknames; research has shown that this can improve their chances of a callback.

Pregnant women hide their status to avoid stigmas and penalties. Other people avoid disclosing their parental status, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, religion, or mental health issues. The latter is acute, for example, in Singapore, where surveys suggest that 62% of employees say they are unwilling to share their mental health challenges with colleagues or managers. Other employees might modify their speech or appearance to fit into their workplaces, such as by speaking a different vernacular language than they would at home or straightening their hair to fit the dominant model of professionalism.

These adjustments come with a cost. Research into code-switching and other forms of identity suppression has revealed the negative cognitive, health, and performance effects of maintaining a facade of conformity, as well as the feelings of inauthenticity it engenders. Patricia Hewlin of McGill University finds that inauthenticity can also cause direct problems for the organization: Employees who don’t believe their true selves are valued tend to withhold

dissenting thoughts and views, meaning they are less likely to speak up about perceived problems.

Granting everyone in the organization the freedom to bring their authentic selves to work takes continued efforts to establish and uphold nondiscrimination policies, antibias programming, and allyship.

Nondiscrimination policies

- Organizations should know, meet, and, ultimately, surpass antidiscrimination policies set forth by law. For example, when companies’ policies adhere to legislation like the CROWN Act (first

enacted in California and now on the books in 23 U.S. states and 49 municipalities), which protects workers against race-based hair discrimination, they actively welcome a diverse range of employees to authentically express their racial identities. When they comply with the Respect for Marriage Act in the U.S. or the constitutional provision against sexualorientation-based discrimination in Portugal, or go even further by providing health benefits to same-sex couples, they support employees of all sexual orientations. As workplaces become

increasingly diverse, leaders will need to revisit internal policies in order to advance inclusion for a wider range of employee needs and lifestyles. Notably, dress codes are evolving to be more gender-neutral as well as more casual, aligning with both nondiscrimination legislation and postpandemic trends.

Adapted from:

Roberts, Laura Morgan. “Where Does DEI Go From Here?” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Publishing, 14 Sept. 2023, hbr.org/2023/09/wheredoes-dei-go-from-here?ab=at_art_ art_1x4_s01. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.

Academic Performance

Improves attention and memory

Muscular Fitness

Builds strong muscles and endurance

Cardiometabolic Health

Helps maintain normal blood sugar levels

Brain Health

Reduces risk of depression

Heart and Lung Health

Improves blood pressure and aerobic fitness

Reduces risk of several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity Long-term Health

Healthy Weight

Helps regulate body weight and reduce body fat

Bone Strength

Strengthens bones

Source: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition

To learn more, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity-for-children.html

IMMEDIATELONG-TERM

A single bout of moderate-to vigorous physical activity provides immediate benefits for your health.

Sleep

Improves sleep quality

Less Anxiety

Reduces feelings of anxiety

Blood Pressure

Reduces blood pressure

Emerging research suggests physical activity may also help boost immune function.

Nieman, “The Compelling Link,” 201–217. Jones, “Exercise, Immunity, and Illness,” 317–344.

Regular physical activity provides important health benefits for chronic disease prevention.

ovid id s foor onn.

Brain Health

Reduces risks of developing dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) and reduces risk of depression

Heart Health

Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes

Cancer Prevention

Lowers risk of eight cancers: bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach

Healthy Weight

Reduces risk of weight gain

Bone Strength

Improves bone health

Balance and Coordination

Reduces risks of falls

To learn more, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity-for-adults.html

Source: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition August 2020

FOR ADULTS 65 AND OLDER Heal th

IMMEDIATELONG-TERM

A single bout of moderate-to vigorous physical activity provides immediate benefits for your health.

Sleep

Improves sleep quality

Less Anxiety

Reduces feelings of anxiety

Blood Pressure

Reduces blood pressure

Emerging research suggests physical activity may also help boost immune function.

Nieman, “The Compelling Link,” 201–217. Jones, “Exercise, Immunity, and Illness,” 317–344.

To learn more, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity.html

Regular physical activity provides important health benefits for chronic disease prevention.

H h Hea ovid id s foor on n

Brain Health

Reduces risks of developing dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) and reduces risk of depression

Heart Health

Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes

Cancer Prevention

Lowers risk of eight cancers: bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach

Healthy Weight

Reduces risk of weight gain

Independent Living

Helps people live independently longer

Bone Strength

Improves bone health

Balance and Coordination

Reduces risks of falls

TAI CHI CLASS IN FULL SWING

Written and submitted by Nancy McGraw, Caregiver Resource Center Program Coordinator

The Caregiver Resource Center (CRC) began offering an 8-week long Tai Chi class series in late January. Having completed six weeks so far, most members of our first inperson Tai Chi class since the pandemic ended gathered for this group photo on March 8. (Also pictured is visiting guest Daisy, a certified therapy dog who attends classes

with her owner, Donna).

Tai Chi for Arthritis & Falls Prevention is a gentle form of exercise that can improve strength, flexibility and balance, reduce joint pain, improve joint mobility and sleep quality, and reduce stress and improve cognitive functions. Tai Chi is evidence-based and research suggests that Tai Chi offers a range of benefits for people with and

without chronic conditions. Graduation from the 8-wk class will be March 22, and there is a waiting list of 35 individuals for the next series, which will be announced soon. For more information call or email the CRC at (845) 292-6180 ext. 122 or sullivancrc@cornell. edu.

4-H PROJECT

Written and submitted by

Barbara Moran, 4-H Youth Development Program Manager

4-H members can grow and learn about topics that interest them through 4-H projects. A 4-H project is a combination of hands- on activities, record keeping, plus communication opportunities.

A 4-H member selects projects to participate in each year when they enroll in 4-H. Each project area has record guides available. These materials are completed by the 4-H member, under guidance

over the course of the 4-H year.

Finished 4-H projects are typically displayed at the local fair over the summer. A 4-H member will create a display or exhibit to represent what they have learned through their 4-H project during the year. 4-H members can earn ribbons, monetary prizes, and scholarships for their project work.

Are you working on any special projects you can enter in the Sullivan County Youth Fair? The categories such as

artwork, scrapbooks, wood working, sewing, growing vegetables, baking and more can be found in our Sullivan County Youth Fair Fairbook. I bet you will be surprised how many of your ideas can be entered in the fair.